Club Arnage

I have been told that a fair number of drivers were not impressed with the delays the queing in the pits  etc  Thought it was far to much grief for a 45 minute run and will not  returning for another Le Mans Classic. Anybody else heard such feedback ?

Good. More chance of getting an entry in 2012 then.

To drive at Le Mans is a dream for many many people. To be given an opportunity to do so is a great honour. I think that if they take that attitude they do not deserve to be there.

Share your sentiments ,,,,,but, if you have shipped your priceless racer around the world at not incinsiderable expense  to spend more time sitting in the collecting box than the circuit you may be a bit miffed . Don't want to see anyone put off attending as the show has been so very  good so far.

Who are these drivers who aren't happy? There's not a word of criticism of the marshalling system on the relevant "Ten Tenths" Historic Racing Today forum thread, which extends to 26 pages and has feedback from entrants, drivers and team members. There's criicism of the fuel supplies, scrutineering, catering prices and even the heat, but waiting in the collecting area (pre-grid) doesn't figure.
And what delays? The event ran to time.
The collecting system has been the same since 2002 - certainly not a new system this year. With over 400 competing cars the organisers have a mammoth task to get cars to each pre-grid so that each class gets its three races. Anyone who's not happy with the system must be new to Le Mans Classic.
It's an added bonus that all spectators - not jut paddock pass holders -can mingle with the cars and drivers on the pre-grid.

Comments come  from a driver who has raced the support races for the 24hours in the past and many classic rallys tours and races , and several of their friends/ competitors. Format may be the same but the event is larger so guess mey be more agrgo with pits etc and getting  to the line . Having witnessed an overly  agressive display through the club parking by the driver of  no 23 dodge charger to get to the line ,that there is a problem with spectators and fast moving racecars trying to get through. The dodge appeared to be a classic example of fastest in the pits not all that on track.

So the comment was from someone who didn't actually compete in this year's Classic. How can they say they won't be entering again?
Hardly so. there were 408 starters this year, 400 in 2008 and 396 in 2006. Divided between six classes, there's no significant increase.
 

 They did'nt say they wouldn't be entering again they said they wouldn't enter as they  have been there and seen it and spoken to their friends of thier experiances , and would rather do other events (revival ,optic2000, etc) Just because they were not on the track does opinion of someone who hasn't competed not count ... I  can't play football myself but know a bad game when i see one .
Anyways are they alone in this ? it would seem so !! Which is a good thing because like just about everyone I know it was a belter !

Would be interested if you knew how the visitor numbers compare to previous years - it certainly seemed absolutely packed with people in all the walkway areas - esp the bit where you come out from the tunnel on the inside behind the pits (where the tour buses were parked) - that was jammed with pedestrians, race cars,  VIP transport, pit support vehicles (saw one guy getting his legs squished between two quad bikes which looked kinda painful in the traffic jam)etc.  

There were certainly more campsites open this time too.

F

Sorry if I misunderstood this:
I thought the drivers you referred to had actually competed in this year's event and that


referred to those drivers sentiments.
Perhaps your heading: Anyone spoken to any of the competitors post the event? made me think that.


With entries for the Classic oversubscribed every year, I doubt that Peter Auto is overworried about your pal's reluctance to enter.
You probably know that you can't just enter the Goodwood Revival or the Tour Auto (Optic2000), as entries to both events are by invitation only. The latter is organised by Peter Auto, just like the LM Classic.

It was pretty packed at times, although more on Saturday afternoon than at other times. Local papers claimed a crowd of 100,000 - same as 2008.

The team I was working for thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Both drivers did say the long wait in the collecting area was a bit uncomfortable in the heat but was well worth it to take part!

Spare a thought for the lonely photographers working without shade!  ;) I failed to take enough water with me out to the Playstation chicane during Friday practice .. one of the marshals took pity on me and poured a bottle of water over me (having suggested I put down my camera first!!)  ;D

Personally, I love the event. This was my 3rd (2002, 2006, 2010 .. spot a pattern?) and have to say it impressed me massively that the constant rotation of the 6 grids in and out of the paddock was incredibly efficient given the rest of the traffic (both human and jeep) around. Only gripe of the weekend ... press room seemingly devoid of water to drink from Friday afternoon! Oh and the hit and miss availability of the 'restauration' in the Bar de Presse .. good thing I know the back roads to Carrefour  ;D

Loved the cars, the jeeps, the air-conditioned press shuttles, the people (well, most of them), the weather (most of the time), the atmosphere .. I could go on (and frequently do) but suffice to say, I fully intend to break the pattern and never miss one again  ;)

I am sure that I heard Bruno say over the tannoy that there were 7000 club and parade cars which each got a tour of the circuit to boot.  I know it's fun to moan about the ACO but they do put on some show. 

Exactly Termie. There is no way we could put on such an event in the UK, it would limp through the red tape before being finished off with the H&S. If you need proof sit back and enjoy the embarrassing farce that will be the 2012 Olympics. Even the logo is a balls up.
I think the ACO do an incredible job in this modern age, sadly only the bad parts are picked up upon and the great things they do are all too soon forgotten.

I understand everyones comments,  but surely the races could be a bit longer, maybe one hour,  there are six groups each getting three races, maybe the first races could be a little longer with the option to shorten the second and third  ones if needs be,  there were huge gaps between each race!  At the first classic they went for four races but it all went a bit pete tong in the early hours after a few accidents had caused some lengthy delays, but the driving standards and car prep seems to be a lot better these days.  I know BMW are probably chucking in some €'s but there's no need for the M3's to be out giving joy rides between each race now is there!

All in all a great event that just needs a little tweaking, but then this years was only the 5th one!  They've been running the 24hrs for a lot longer and still can't get the camping right :o,  or so you campers tell me, I'm a hotel guy...

Just to give credit where credit is due:
The Classic is not organised by the ACO, although they provide the infrastructure - circuit, officials, timing, ticketing etc.
The show is organised by Peter Auto, who also organise the Monaco Grand Prix Historique,  Grand Prix Pau Historique, and the Tour Auto, and a very fine show they put on.

The relevant figures are:-

2002 30,000

2004 50,000

2006 70,000

2008 82,000

2010 103,000

Just over 25% increase on the last event, thats quite a jump! 

No clash with Goodwood this year probably made a difference.

I'm not so sure that one week would make a lot of difference, I doubt that there are that many people who would do both unless they were a good month apart.  Also the FoS is a different event,  the Revival is more similar to LM Classic.

Totally different events but both appeal to petrolheads. There were quite a lot of cars around the campsite and at the port with Goodwood Passes still in the window too. I'm not suggesting that the extra 20,000 punters were all down to Goodwood but it will have been a contributing factor.

The FoS surely does affect the entry though, if not necessarily the punters.

Thanks for the correction, Kpy, of course you are quite right.  Although the "coal face" types seem to be the same - same faces in the grandstands etc.

I am sure some of the spectator growth is down to folk skipping the main event in preferance for classic . I know of a couple of groups who much prefer the calssics more relaxed atmosphere . And some of this exodus  prompted by the more unruly behaviour of the last 2-3+years. (lets not start that debate though!)